Thunder Draft Prospects: 4-3

The NBA Draft is less than two weeks away and the Thunder own the No. 14 pick thanks to an injury-riddled nightmare of a season. Every day until Draft day, we'll be counting down the top 18 prospects that the Thunder should target. <br/>

Wednesday, June 24th 2015, 5:45 pm

By: News 9


The NBA Draft is less than two weeks away and the Thunder own the No. 14 pick thanks to an injury-riddled nightmare of a season. Every day until Draft day, we'll be counting down the top 18 prospects that the Thunder should target. We'll analyze two players a day until Draft night on June 25.

It is important to note that only realistic players will be included in this list. Therefore, you won't be reading about Jahlil Okafor or Justise Winslow or Kristaps Porzingis because there's no way those guys slip down to 14.

To read about prospects 18-5, click the links below. Now that you know the rules, let's get started.

Thunder Draft Prospects: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Rashad Vaughn

Thunder Draft Prospects: R.J. Hunter, Delon Wright

Thunder Draft Prospects: Trey Lyles, Myles Turner

Thunder Draft Prospects: Kevon Looney, Sam Dekker

Thunder Draft Prospects: Montrezl Harrell, Tyus Jones

Thunder Draft Prospects: Kelly Oubre Jr., Jerian Grant

Thunder Draft Prospects: Stanley Johnson, Justin Anderson

4. Bobby Portis – PF – Arkansas

Strengths

Portis is higher on this list than you'll see him on most, but I really like this guy. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Portis is an above-average defender and terrific rebounder (12 rebounds per 40 mins) who can use his versatility to turn a defensive rebound into a fast break the other way. His lateral footspeed also allows him to defend smaller opponents on a pick-and-roll switch.

Offensively, Portis isn't a traditional post-up 4, but rather a turn-and-face nightmare. The SEC Player of the Year averaged 17.5 points on 54 percent shooting last season. He also hit 14-30 from 3-point range. More than anything, though, is that Portis' effort level just seems higher than everyone else's. He moves like a cat and plays both ways yet still seems to have energy at the end of the night.

Weaknesses

Portis likes to roam around on defense thanks to his ability to defend multiple positions, but how well is he going to defend bigger, stronger guys on the block at the NBA level? It'll be an adjustment coming from the SEC, where for the most part (aka excluding Kentucky), the guys are either big or good, not both.

NBA player comparison

Morris Brothers, Paul Millsap

How he'd fit the Thunder

Portis wouldn't fit in right away. OKC is loaded in the frontcourt, assuming Enes Kanter is brought back. However, Nick Collison can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's unknown whether Mitch McGary will ever become a decent defender. The issue for OKC here is that Portis' skillset is very similar to McGary's. They're both mobile and versatile for their positions and can score in unconventional ways. However, drafting Portis would allow Sam Presti to sell McGary high after a surprising rookie season.

3. Frank Kaminsky – PF – Wisconsin

Strengths

Kaminsky is probably the most polished offensive player in this draft, tied with D'Angelo Russell and maybe Jahlil Okafor. If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you saw Kaminsky destroy this draft's likely No. 1 and No. 2 picks (Towns, Okafor) in back-to-back performances in the Final 4. He can shoot the 3 (42 percent last season), score in the paint (18.8 points on 55 percent shooting) and draw fouls (shot 5.1 free throws per game last season on a slow-paced team). He's an incredibly smart player who is tougher than most think.

Weaknesses

Kaminsky's only detriments are physical. He's 7-feet tall but only has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He's also far from the world's most athletic player. The two concerns here are 1. Getting his shot up over longer defenders and 2. Protecting the rim. If his wingspan was 7-foot-3, Kaminsky would be a lock in the top five.

NBA player comparison

One way to look at him is Al Jefferson's footwork, minus some of the girth, but with a much better shot. Another, and forgive how cliché this sounds, is Dirk Nowitzki. Not saying he'll be Dirk, but his mannerisms and skillset are very comparable.

How he'd fit the Thunder

Like Portis, there's no immediate obvious spot for Kaminsky. But if he's there at 14, the Thunder should pull the trigger purely as a value pick. You could even use him as currency in a deal with another team that wants him desperately. It's very unlikely that Kaminsky's still there at 14, but if he is, pick him and figure out what to do with him later.

Don't forget, tomorrow is NBA Draft day, and we'll reveal our top two players on the countdown. We'll also discuss some of the top candidates for the Thunder's second-round pick at No. 48.

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